Rakesh Prakash for Times of India

Bangalore, Feb 17: Can you spot a tiger on the streets of Bangalore? You won't, but apparently forest minister C Chennigappa can!

If one were to go by his reply in the legislative council last week, tigers do roam about in IT city Bangalore, mining hub Bellary, arid Gulbarga and tourist spot Hassan.

And thereby hangs a tail! Chennigappa said the census was conducted in Bangalore, Bellary, Hassan and Gulbarga forest circles during 2005-06 and the expenditure incurred in these places has added up to Rs 5.41 lakh.

But none of these forest circles are home for tigers! Corroborating this information is the annual census report of the Wild Animals of Karnataka for 1997-98, which incidentally was also furnished by Chennigappa himself in the council.

Wildlife enthusiasts are not amused. "Has anyone seen a tiger in any of these places? What is the need to spend money and do a tiger census here?"

Wildlife conservationists have started questioning the government's motive. Chennigappa had said Rs 25 lakh was earmarked for tiger census in the state after PM Manmohan Singh directed the setting up of a Tiger Task Force, which was mandated with estimating the tiger status.

But to spend that money, the forest department has gone in for a census even in places where they know for certain there is no animal present, let alone tigers.

The government has spent Rs 2.18 lakh on Bangalore circle, Rs 2.18 lakh in Bellary, Rs 1.16 lakh in Hassan and Rs 82,640 in Gulbarga -- totalling Rs 5.41 lakh.

"There needs to be a prey base for tigers to survive in any area, but Bangalore doesn't even have an effective green cover! Pray,why will a tiger roam around Bangalore when there are no deer, wild pigs or sambars for it to prey upon?" a conservationist asked.

"They are spending lakhs of rupees in areas from where tigers have retreated some 60 years ago because of depletion of prey base," the conservationist added.

A forest department official, however, defended: "The money was used to conduct workshops and pay wages for those associated with the census work."

The forest officer, however, didn't have an explanation for undertaking such activities in non-tiger habitats.

Conservationists cry foul: "The money could have been used for some productive purpose, at least in addressing the man-animal conflict which is taking a heavy toll on wildlife population in the state."

But the official maintained: "We will get a clear picture of tiger population in the state after the ongoing survey by the Wildlife Institute of India (Dehra Dun) is completed."

Sources stated that the census is conducted to ascertain tiger population in national parks and Project Tiger areas and not in urban areas.